And Then the End Will Come: The Promise of Matthew 24:14Voorbeeld

## Day Four: He Is Coming Back One thing is certain: Jesus is coming back. From beginning to end, the Bible promises that Jesus will return to rule over the earth forever from the throne of his ancestor David. One of the most vivid prophecies about the second coming is found in Daniel 7:13-14, which describes Daniel’s vision of “one like a son of man” who is “given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.” And it says, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Zechariah 14:1–5 promises that one day, when all the nations of the earth have gathered against Jerusalem, Jesus will return to defeat his enemies and establish his earthly kingdom. It concludes, “Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him” (Zech. 14:5). Jesus himself promised over and over that he would return. He told his disciples, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3) He said, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels . . .” (Matthew 16:27). He said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31) Finally, the last words of Jesus recorded in Scripture, in Revelation 22:20, are, “Yes, I am coming soon.” In fact, Jesus repeats these words three times, and the words come and coming appear seven times in that one chapter. What’s more, the New Testament authors took Jesus’ promises seriously. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they wrote frequently about the second coming and the events and circumstances that would surround it. The idea that the Lord is returning, and returning soon, is found in almost every book in the New Testament. So if the Bible is true, there is no doubt: Jesus is coming back. There are many clues in the scriptures—including the promise of Matthew 24:14—that it may be soon.